Help me understand progressive

[phoenix]

Hi awoods,

Thanks for the additional information and clarification … and for the concise recap of all the configurations. In looking at things I may have some suggestions that may be helpful.

I don’t want to be a time sink for you though, any advice you have time to offer along the way is welcome, but I absolutely understand your time is limited. It took me a couple days to get back to my own thread after all!

While it’s true that I do have limited time … I actually enjoy the analysis that can be involved in helping to “solve” some of the more complex issues that can often be involved in more challenging circumstances so when I can I’m certainly happy to help provide any insights to the extent that I can pick up on something that may be helpful. I have to say once again that your clear and concise descriptions and the incremental and comparative approach you are taking is very insightful and impressive and makes analysis much easier.

My comments: I’m assuming that the shredded latex topper you used here was the thinner 1" to 1.5" version? If this is the case then this combination seems to be a little contradictory to me because if combination #4 was too firm for you then this layering with the same combination except a wool layer under the soft top layer “should” have made it a little firmer yet and it’s somewhat odd that with only the addition of a 1" - 1.5" shredded topper it became too soft after being “two” increments too firm (the original S/F/M which was already too firm and the wool making it even firmer). Was this really too soft for you?

In my previous reply I mixed up part of #4 with part of #5 in my analysis and my comparison with #6 was comparing your results in #4 (too firm) but was using the layering in #5 (which was too soft) so my misreading using the results of one combination and the layering of another (not realizing that I was mixing them up) was the reason for the contradiction that I “thought” I saw. Comparing your comments and the layering and description only of #5 with #6 the way I should have makes much more sense …

So to clarify my comments that compares #6 to #5 (instead of comparing a mix between #4 and #5 to #6) …

#5 combination was (from top to bottom)

2" (thicker) shredded latex topper
Soft Talalay
Firm Dunlop
Medium Dunlop

This was too soft resulting in swayback.

#6 combination was (from top to bottom) …

1 - 1.5" (thinner) shredded latex topper
Soft Talalay
Quilted cover
Firm Dunlop
Medium Dunlop

This also appeared to be too soft but was less so than #5 which now makes sense since the cover under the top layer would have resulted in more firmness and the thinner shredded latex topper also would have resulted in more firmness (which was the two “increments towards firmness” I was mentioning). The only surprising thing here was that they weren’t “more” different from each other since I would have guessed that #6 was more “in the range” than it was.

Comments about the polyfoam topper.

In both cases the shoulder pressure that you felt with the polyfoam topper was probably because it would be firmer than the shredded latex topper and it would also be less point elastic than the shredded latex topper and could also affect the contouring of the layers underneath it and allow for less penetration in your lower hip and shoulders which could result in the pressure you were feeling. This would make sense because in both instances where you used it the shoulder pain wasn’t there when you used the shredded latex instead of the polyfoam with the same configuration underneath it. A convoluted polyfoam topper in the range of 1" to 1.5" may work better than the solid topper in your case.

I have decided that I am going to do a return, for several reasons. First, the layer exchange policy isn’t very compatible with the unsplit model I’ve selected and I think that getting to a model that suits me is going to be too expensive with that policy. Second, it seems clear that my body is not liking solid latex as the surface layer, so the mattress isn’t as compatible with my needs as I’d hoped. And lastly, the testing I need to do to figure out precisely what I need is time consuming and interferes with sleep. Sleep deprivation was taking its toll and starting to impact too many other areas of my life. And the time pressure to figure it out before the mattress trial period ran out was just too stressful. So I’m removing the time pressure, will work on reducing stress in other areas of my life, and will return to selecting a mattress when I can once again focus on it. I still have my old mattress which is in an acceptable state, so there is no reason to rush myself.

This certainly makes sense to me.

Before you return it though it may be worth considering some configurations with “makeshift” zoning along the lines of the suggestions in post #11 here if you have the time. It would give you a chance to assess the difference that zoning could make (if you try this I would start with center third zoning) which may allow you to use some of the configurations that were slightly too soft but otherwise seemed to work well and may also result in a similar configuration in the same thickness which works for your husband as well. It would also give you a good chance to see how zoning may affect things for future reference.

The combinations that I think would be worth considering for center zoning would be …

s/f/m with wool cover and 1" shredded latex topper on both sides.

This was slightly too firm for your husband without the shredded latex topper and he liked the s/m/f with wool cover better but the additional firmness for him would likely be offset with the thin shredded latex topper.

For you this seemed to be close and was perhaps the closest of the combinations (pain diminishing and then coming back) and with the addition of center zoning it may "push your hips up) into the range that would work for you.

The center zoning may also be fine for your husband if you extend it across the entire mattress. I would consider the center zoning in between the soft and firm layer or alternatively for a slightly smaller effect under the firm layer.

s/m/f with wool cover and 1" shredded latex topper

This may also be suitable for both of you even though this combination is softer but once again you could try the zoning under either your side or both. My comments would be similar to the previous one and it would allow for more secondary support with the zoning once again “pushing up” your hips to alleviate the swayback position.

Phoenix